The Actors Who Played Chewbacca And R2-D2 Formed A Tight Bond Because Of Their Heights

"We understood each other on a level that few others can."

On Saturday, August 13, actor Kenny Baker passed away at the age of 81.

The 3-foot-8 actor was most famous for his role as R2-D2 in the first six movies of the Star Wars franchise, where he starred alongside his soon-to-be lifelong friend, 7-foot-3 Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca.

Although they were on opposite ends of the height spectrum, Mayhew revealed in a touching tribute letter on his website that they bonded over many of the same height-related struggles, whether they were trying to find a way to get on an airplane or trying to find clothes that fit them.

Corey Miller sent me this photo of him with Kenny & I from long ago. I'm the one with the glorious hair! pic.twitter.com/KpiVnRBTNm

Mayhew shared that they "understood each other on a level that few others can."

They were also drawn to each other thanks to their shared sense of humor. Mayhew went on, writing, "His wicked sense of humor never diminished even as his health did … I never met anyone who enjoyed the public more."